Arbitration Eligibles: Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are next in our 2013 Arbitration Eligibles series. Matt Swartz's salary projections are below.
- First time: Cory Wade ($700K), Bobby Wilson ($600K)
- Second time: Colby Rasmus ($4.5MM), J.A. Happ ($3.8MM)
The Blue Jays have a relatively small arbitration class that includes two of the players who project as key contributors in 2013.
One of those players, Rasmus, seemed like an emerging extension candidate when, midway through the season, he had 17 home runs and an .821 OPS. Rasmus' numbers dropped off substantially in the second half and while his season totals of 23 home runs and 75 RBI will lead to a substantial raise in arbitration, the center fielder no longer seems like an definite candidate for a long-term deal. He’ll do reasonably well as a second time eligible player, with a projected salary of $4.5MM.
Happ recovered from a slow start in Toronto to finish in impressive fashion. In six late-season starts he limited walks and home runs while striking out more than a batter per inning. Small sample size warnings apply, but those six starts were a definite positive for a Toronto team in serious need of starting pitching. Though Happ looked like a borderline non-tender candidate immediately after arriving in Toronto, he's now expected to be tendered a contract — expect a salary in the $3.8MM range.
Neither one of the team’s other arbitration eligible players has played as much as one inning for the Blue Jays. GM Alex Anthopoulos claimed Wade and Wilson off of waivers last month and so far they’ve held onto their 40-man roster spots. Wade allowed eight home runs in 39 innings this past season despite a strong strikeout to walk ratio and appears to be a non-tender candidate. Wilson provides the Blue Jays with depth, but it's hard to see a role for him if both J.P. Arencibia and Jeff Mathis are healthy members of the organization at the end of Spring Training. If the Blue Jays need 40-man roster space this month, Wilson’s spot could be threatened. Otherwise, he provides the team with affordable, low-risk depth at a key position.
For a while it appeared this class would be bigger. The Blue Jays lost David Herndon on waivers to the Yankees; Jesse Litsch would have been arbitration eligible again, but he lost his 40-man roster spot; Rajai Davis and the Blue Jays recently agreed to terms on a deal for 2013.
If the Blue Jays tender contracts to all four eligible players, they're looking at an estimated total just shy of $10MM.
Matt Swartz's arbitration projections are available exclusively at MLB Trade Rumors. To read more about his projection model, check out this series of posts.
Quick Hits: Gomes, Burnett, Hamilton
On this date four years ago the Rockies officially sent Matt Holliday to the Athletics for a package of players including Carlos Gonzalez and Huston Street. The A's didn't get what they were hoping for in the deal, but Gonzalez has since become a cornerstone player for the Rockies. Here are today's links…
- The Orioles are indeed interested in Gomes, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- Before acquiring Chris Young from Arizona, the Athletics had extensive talks with free agent outfielder Jonny Gomes about a possible two-year deal, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (on Twitter). Olney suggests the Orioles could be a fit for Gomes now.
- Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post explains that Jeremy Affeldt could help set the market for Sean Burnett by agreeing to terms with the Giants. Both free agent left-handers have positioned themselves for multiyear deals.
- Free agent outfielder Josh Hamilton seems pretty risky to one NL executive who spoke with ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark (Twitter link). "He's going to break somebody's bank — and probably break somebody's heart," the person said.
Dodgers Notes: Hunter, Ryu, Bard, Kuroda
The latest on the Dodgers, who are in the midst of their first offseason under new ownership…
- The Dodgers are out on Torii Hunter, according to Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles. The Braves, Rangers and Tigers all still have interest in Hunter, who appears to prefer an AL team.
- GM Ned Colletti told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that the Dodgers are prioritizing the international market again under the team’s new ownership. “One area we really needed to accent immediately was international operations,” Colletti said. “We couldn’t wait another year to get involved there.” The Dodgers recently won the negotiating rights to Korean left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu with a bid of $25.7MM.
- The Dodgers announced that they signed six international scouts, including Patrick Guerrero. The team also announced that they hired former MLB catcher Josh Bard as a special assistant.
- Ken Davidoff of the New York Post wonders which top free agent will sign next. Zack Greinke and Hiroki Kuroda seem like candidates to sign in the relatively near future, according to Davidoff, who believes that the Dodgers will bring Kuroda back to Los Angeles.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Rangers, Bourgeois, Hill
The latest minor moves…
- The Rangers have signed left-hander Neal Cotts, catcher Juan Apodaca, right-hander Yonata Ortega, and outfielders Jim Adduci and Aaron Cunningham to minor league deals, according to Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest. Cotts and Cunningham both have extensive Major League experience.
- Outfielder Jason Bourgeois has cleared waivers and can now elect free agency, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). Bourgeois, 30, appeared in 30 games for the Royals this past season, playing left and center field.
- The Tigers signed right-hander Shawn Hill to a minor league contract, James Schmehl of MLive.com reports. Hill elected free agency last month after the Blue Jays removed him from the 40-man roster. The 31-year-old appeared in one game for the Blue Jays this past season, pitching three scoreless innings. He spent most of the 2012 season at Triple-A where he posted a 4.52 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 89 2/3 innings.
Yankees, Red Sox Interested In Napoli
2:38pm: The Yankees are also interested in Napoli, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (on Twitter). The Yankees have a need at catcher, since Russell Martin has also hit free agency. Both Napoli and Martin have strong career numbers against left-handed pitching.
10:39am: Even with David Ross under contract through 2014 and Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ryan Lavarnway on the roster, the Red Sox are still interested in free agent catcher Mike Napoli, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports. The Red Sox could use Napoli at first base and/or trade a catcher — perhaps Saltalamacchia — to create space on the roster.
The Red Sox are doing extensive background work on Napoli, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (on Twitter). The Mariners also have some level of interest in the catcher, a client of Paragon Sports International.
The Red Sox are expected to pursue first basemen this offseason, and Adam LaRoche could appeal to the team's front office executives. Alternatively, the club could rely on a platoon of Mauro Gomez and Jerry Sands at first base, as GM Ben Cherington recently suggested.
Napoli, 31, ranked 14th on MLBTR’s top 50 free agent list. He did not obtain a qualifying offer from the Rangers, which means he won’t be linked to draft pick compensation. In 417 plate appearances as a catcher, first baseman and designated hitter, Napoli posted a .227/.343/.469 line with 24 home runs this past season.
Phillies Interested In Josh Hamilton, Cody Ross
The Phillies are comfortable paying Josh Hamilton a high annual salary, but they have concerns about committing to the free agent outfielder on a long-term contract, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (Twitter links). Hamilton, the winter’s top free agent position player, is a client of Moye Sports Associates.
The Phillies are also among the teams talking with outfielder Cody Ross, Olney reports. Ross, a free agent who's not tied to draft pick compensation, is a client of SFX.
The Orioles also appear to have interest in both outfielders. The Red Sox discussed the possibility of a new deal with Ross, whose asking price appears to be $25MM for three years. While some teams are wary of that kind of commitment, other clubs appear to have interest in committing to Ross on a three-year deal. The Braves and Red Sox appear to have some level of interest in Hamilton.
Catching Rumors: Pierzynski, Martin, Soto
Earlier today we heard that the Red Sox maintain interest in Mike Napoli, even after signing David Ross. Here are some more rumors surrounding this offseason’s free agent catchers…
- It appears A.J. Pierzynski will play for a team other than the White Sox in 2013, Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com reports. While the sides are both interested in working out a new free agent contract, factors such as payroll space, timing and Tyler Flowers could mean Pierzynski signs elsewhere.
- The Rangers are considering Russell Martin, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (Twitter links). With Napoli on the open market, the Rangers are looking to free agency for potential replacements. Rival executives expect the Rangers to non-tender Geovany Soto, Olney reports. Back in August I explained why Soto could be non-tendered this offseason.
- Check out MLBTR’s Free Agent Tracker for a detailed look at available catchers.
Tigers, Rangers Interested In Torii Hunter
1:08pm: The Braves have interest in Hunter, but it appears he'll re-sign with an American League team, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (on Twitter). The Tigers are the frontrunners for Hunter, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio reports (on Twitter).
12:52pm: The timeframe for a decision is about two weeks, Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports. The Tigers have been most aggressive in their pursuit of Hunter and seem most likely to offer a two-year contract. The Yankees have also shown serious interest.
11:19am: The Tigers and Rangers are interested in free agent outfielder Torii Hunter, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. Hunter said on MLB Network this morning that he expects to sign quickly.
The Tigers are “very interested” in Hunter, Knobler writes. They see him as a near-perfect fit for their team, on and off of the field. Detroit has prioritized corner outfield help this winter. The Rangers also have interest in Hunter, who lives in Texas, relatively close to Rangers Ballpark.
The market for Hunter seems strong, with the Red Sox, Dodgers and Yankees also interested. Knobler suggests the Braves and Phillies are also possible fits. The Angels did not make Hunter a qualifying offer, which means he’s not linked to draft pick compensation. Tim Dierkes ranked Hunter 20th among the top 50 free agents available.
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Legacy Agency To Acquire Greenberg & Associates
The Legacy Agency will acquire MLB player firm Peter Greenberg & Associates, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal reports (on Twitter). The agreement means the Legacy Agency will grow by approximately 25 MLB players.
The Legacy Sports Group represents dozens of MLB players, including C.C. Sabathia, Edwin Jackson, Adam Dunn and Brett Anderson, as MLBTR’s Agency Database shows. Peter E. Greenberg & Associates represents many MLB players, including Jose Reyes and Johan Santana.